Every year around the end of spring, a small fair would pass through Derry. It would only be open for a weekend, and the rides were old and the games mostly out of date, though the Losers Club never opted out of a chance to have some fun.

The sun was high that May afternoon that the six boys and one redheaded girl rolled through to the field that briefly housed the fairgrounds. Many things had been in that plot over the years; circus', new year's celebrations, though it was mostly used by drunk teens as a place to play out their hooligan actions.

But, it never looked better than this. Vibrant colours and nothing but the sound of happy families filled the warm May air, all as if the horrors of Derry, Maine had never really existed.

"Where should we start?" An oddly eager Bill chimed from the side, turning bright eyes across to his friends who were all seemingly looking in different directions.

"Bumper cars!"

"Shooting!"

"Haunted house!"

A slew of different options was presented to them, though the group eventually settled on the first thing shouted; bumper cars. Thus, the seven teens made their way through the crowd to somewhere in the centre of the fair. It was a lot more crowded there. Lining up for the cars among the mass of other kids and Derry residents, it wasn't long before a certain bespectacled boy grew impatient.

"How much longer is this going to take? I could get Eddie's mom on her knees faster than this crowd's moving!"

Of course, that gained a strained look from the shorter boy behind him, though Richard only smiled. "C'mon, Eds. You gotta agree. This is complete bullshit. I've seen paint dry faster than this."

Shaking his head, Eddie turned an almost pleading glance across to Ben, though he was only laughing along with Richie's words. "You know Rich, maybe it'd move FASTER if we weren't stuck behind that big head of yours." He paused, "And don't call me Eds."

Richie, only chuckling still, shook his head dismissively of the smaller teens words. "Righto Spaghetti'o." Richie teased still, gaining yet another look from the smaller teen beside him.

Eventually, after some thirty minutes of waiting, the group was let through the gate in pairs of two; at least, some of the group were. The two stragglers at the back, Richie and Eddie, were halted, gate closed before they could step through.

"What the shit, dude!?" Richie exclaimed, adjusting his glasses as he turned his gaze up to the tattooed employee, who only shrugged. "You'll go next kid."

Bill and Richie shared a glance then, though Richie only waved for the group to go ahead, groaning as he turned his attention back to Eddie beside him. "Do you wanna go get some cotton candy or something? It's not gonna be as fun just us."

Nodding along to the idea, both boys soon slipped out of the line, walking towards the nearest food stall.

Eddie walked alongside Richie, eyes downturned as he listened to the other mutter about the carny not letting them on. "It's bull shit!" He exclaimed, "We were obviously a group! I mean, you're small enough, you could'a shared with Bill and Stan."

Brow quirked a moment at those words, Eddie was soon breathing a laugh. "Hey! You're lanky enough! Why don't YOU share with them?" Of course, those words were met with a look of mock disgust from Richie.

"Share? Me? Never! 'Sides, s'ghetti, I wouldn't wanna share with anyone but my main man."

"Main man? You have one of those?" Richie rolled his eyes, "You, loser."

That sentiment left Eddie feeling oddly warm. Well, not oddly. Richie always made him feel warm in the little things he did. From tender glances to bright, beautiful smiles. Even the jokes, sometimes, prickled at Eddie's skin in the nicest of ways. Ways he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to forget.

It was those feelings that had brought him to the very jarring realisation. Eddie Kaspbrak liked boys. Now, that being said, he didn't not like girls. He had crushes on girls in his class. He had often wondered what it would be like to date one. But this was different. This was Richie.

Perhaps that's why his palms were sweating. Perhaps that was why his throat was tightening at the mere thought of the words. No. In no world would Eddie ever admit so easily that he may actually have feelings for the trashmouth, but maybe, just maybe, Richie could be the first to know. Maybe Richie was the safest place for him to come out.

Standing at the food stall, Richie ordered a stick of cotton candy for each of them, handing some coins up to the carny before handing one of the saturated pink clouds of sugar to Eddie. With nothing but a short, nervous thanks Eddie was soon pulling pieces of candy off the paper stick, stepping to the side of the stall where he and Richie stood for some moments.

"Hey Rich? Do—do you wanna go for a walk? I wanna talk to you about—well, something." Smooth. At least, Eddie thought so. Richie on the other hand, turned worried eyes his friend's way, chewing absently on the candy in his mouth before shortly nodding along to the others words. "Sure, Eds. I guess."

Silently, the two boys started walking through the crowd. Eddie didn't know how to start. Or where. Should he start at the beginning? Did the beginning of it all even INVOLVE Richie? Of course, it did. It was all him. From that first glance and short laughter, right up until this moment. Eddie coughed.

"I don't—I don't really know how to say this." Though the people around them didn't make it any easier. "Rich, you like girls, right?"

That question alone had caught Richie off guard, and the boy just about stopped in his tracks; eyes blown wide behind thick lenses. "Well, duh." He started, nervous laugh ringing through an equally nervous smile. "What kind of question even is that, Eds? 'Course I like girls."

Swallowing back thickly, pushing his fear down too, Eddie turned his eyes back to Richie. His gaze was bright and worrisome, though there wasn't much new there. "Well. What—what would you say if—if I didn't?" A pause, "If I didn't like them? Like that?" Eddie had to take a moment, glancing around them to be sure he hadn't been heard.

Richie, on the other hand, had his eyes glued to the blushing boy before him, holding his cotton candy loosely at his side. He had lost any semblance of an appetite. "If you didn't?" Richie repeated, his own face taking on a pinkened hue as he stared forward at the smaller teen, though, he soon fell in line with Eddie once more; heading through the crowd.

Eyes soon plastered to the grass once more, Eddie waited patiently for a verdict, idly picking at small pieces of his candy, though not really enjoying it as much as he had before this conversation had started.

"Well, if you didn't… I wouldn't care." The words left Richie's mouth easily, because they were true. As true as the sun in the sky. As true as the drying grass. As true as Eddie's smile. As true as the way he brushed through his hair in frustration. As true as the way he curled his lip when he was concentrating. As true as the dry laughter he gave when Richie's jokes weren't all that great. As true as the way Richie loved him for it. He loved his Eddie, though it was something he'd never be able to admit. Not even to himself.

With a short sigh of relief at Richie's words, Eddie nodded, only then being able to bring his eyes up to the other. "Okay. Great! I'm—I'm glad. Really. Relieved, more like it." He breathed a laugh, "I was worried you'd hate me or something."

"Hate you? Eddie, I'd never hate you. None of us would. And being—" he choked, "liking boys doesn't change that! You're one of us, you know."

"I know." Eddie stated quickly. "I know that, of course I do." In the back of his mind, he did, though the anxiety had dug and buried and embedded itself in his mind; leaving Eddie uneasy. "I just—I don't know. It's stupid."

He knew what he wanted to say. He knew he wanted to tell Richie WHY it was so important to him. Why he didn't want Richie, of all people, to hate him for being gay. But the words wouldn't form in his mouth. It was too soon. Not yet. Though, he couldn't help the nagging feeling clawing at his neck that maybe, he wouldn't even get his chance.

"It's not stupid, Eddie. It's not." Richie set a reassuring hand to his friend's shoulder, sending oddly kind and soft smile his way. Richie was never good at conveying genuine emotions. He always avoided it through bland and poorly timed humour. But for once, he put all jokes aside, knowing his friend, his best friend, needed consolation. "We all love you, dude. No matter what." It was all he could think to say.

"You have to promise you won't tell anyone." Eddie stated quickly, hand coming to Richie's wrist, thin fingers curling around the others arm before gently brushing the others hand away from his shoulder. "No jokes either, Richie. I'm serious."

"I know you are. I promise. No jokes. No outing." He gestured to zipping his lips, smiling only growing wider thereafter.

With a quick, definitive nod, Eddie turned his eyes to his cotton candy, tugging at a few pink wisps.

"Should we go back?" He finally asked, eyes turned down the way they had come. Richie's glance followed after Eddie's a moment, though he was soon shaking his head. "Nah, I don't want to just yet. Might be awkward."

"Awkward?" Eddie asked, "Why?"

"What do you mean why? Dude, you just came out to me. I need at least fifteen minutes to process this information. Eds. 'Else it's gonna be joke city over there." Richie breathed brittle laugh, though there was no fault to his words. Eddie knew that all too well. "Alright." He thought a moment, "Let's keep walking then."

Quietly, the pair moved onward, walking idly through the sea of fair-goers. Eddie kept his eyes on his candy treat while, every so often, Richie brought his eyes to the boy beside him. His chest swelled in a kaleidoscope of butterflies. A full-blown swarm leaving him feeling tickled and breathless.

Over the years the pair had been friends, Richie had never felt truly close to Eddie until that afternoon. Of all the people Eddie could have told, he told him. He came out first to the annoying trashmouth rather than stoic-Stanley or

good-listener-Bill. He couldn't help the pride that flooded over him, leaving him walking a little taller and smiling a little wider.

Eddie didn't notice that though, too caught up in his own thoughts. Wondering why Richie was walking so close. Wondering if he could feel the electricity between their hands, daring Eddie to reach out and intertwine calloused fingers. Daring him to whisper words that had been on his mind longer than he'd care to remember. Daring him to lean up and kiss those lips that had run so many jokes into the ground.

He didn't.

And in that moment, he wasn't sure he ever would. Instead, he curled his fingers into a tight fist, breathing out the pent-up feelings in a heavy, long sigh. Maybe he was in love with his best friend. And maybe, he'd never get the chance to tell him.

But maybe, Eddie thought, he could be okay with that.